Improvement in detachable table-legs



J. W. BULLOCK. Detachable Table-Leg.

- Pat ented Sept. 9,1879. I2? 7 ORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES W. BULLOCK, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND WILLIAM C. GRAY, OF SAME PLACE.

V IMPROVEMENT IN DETACHABLE TABLE-LEGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 219,443, dated September 9, 1879; application filed May 31, 1879.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JAMES W. BULLooK, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Detachable Legs for Tables, Stands, &c., of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to construct tables, stands, chairs, and other articles of furniture, so that they can be readily taken apart and packed in compact form for transportation; and the invention consists in the attachment of the legs by dovetail joints and spring frict on devices, hereinafter described, whereby they can be easily removed and adjusted, and are held securely and firmly in place, as more particularly described in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a vertical section of a stand or table constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2. is a sectional plan view on the line a as of Fig. 1.

' Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The drawings show a center-table or stand of usual form, with its center-post a sustained by four legs, I), and the top 0 screwed upon the post a. The legs b are each attached in the same manner, and the following description of one will apply to all.

The lower end of the post a is grooved or niortised at d, the mortise extending lengthwise the post, and having undercut edges or dovetailed in cross section to receive the correspondingly-shaped tongue 6, that is formed on the upper end and inner side of leg b. The tongue 6 should fit loosely, and will be inserted and slid in place from the lower end of the post. At the back of .the mortise d a flat spring, f, of metal, is attached in a recess, so that it may be pressed down flush with the bottom of the mortise, and the lower end of spring f extends below the end of the post a,

to permit of its being pressed back by hand. This spring f exerts an outward pressure upon the tongue 0, which tends to keep the leg tight and compensates for shrinkage, and by its pressure also acts as a spring friction device, to prevent the leg falling out when the table is lifted.

The leg I) is formed with a circular mortise extending from the inner side of the tongue 6 at right angles to the mortise (I, in which mortise is a spiral spring, g, that is retained in place by a pin or other suitable device. This spring is long enough to exert a strong pressure against the flat spring f when it is (30mpressed by insertion of the leg in the dovetail ni'ort-ise, and thereby aid the objects mentioned in connection with the spring fl To remove the leg the spring-pressure can be partially relieved by pressing back the spring f.

By this construction each leg can be adjusted to level the table on an uneven floor, and the legswill be retained in place firmly. In moving the table from place to place, in transportation, and in packing it, the legs can be removed from the post, which renders the table more convenient to handle, and it will occupy less space and can be carried more safely than tables as usually made.

I am aware that a spring-plunger has been used on a stool in connection with a foot, and a bottom plate connected by dovetailed tongue and groove; but

What I claim as new is' The combination, with a leg and post connected by a dovetail tongue-ahd-groove joint, of the flat spring f, arranged in a recess back of the groove (1, and extending below the post a, and the spiral spring g, arranged in a recess of the leg and bearing upon the spring f, as shown and described.

JAMES WILLARD BULLDOK.

Witnesses:

W. T. PIPER, GEO. A. GRAY. 

